What next for Arsenal’s 35 young professionals?

Arsenal have 35 young professionals on their books at present, with the club facing some difficult decisions regarding what the next step should be for each of them going into next season.

Here’s an assessment of what could happen next.

Ismael Bennacer

Zimbio

Position: Central-midfield. Age: 19

After impressing on loan at Ligue 2 side Tours in the second half of last season, Bennacer has already stated that he intends to head out on temporary transfer again next campaign, possibly to a top division team in Europe.

Krystian Bielik

Zimbio

Position: Centre-back. Age: 19

The Polish youth international also excelled on loan last season, producing some excellent performances for Birmingham City. He has been heavily linked with a loan to Norwich City, which could be the final stepping stone before a first-team breakthrough at Arsenal.

Marc Bola

Zimbio

Position: Left-back. Age: 19

Another player who gained experience elsewhere last campaign, Bola developed well in League Two with Notts County.

It seems unlikely that he will continue playing U23 football so another loan, possibly to a League One club, is a possibility.

Tolaji Bola

Zimbio

Position: Left-back. Age: 18

Bola has been on the fringes of Arsenal’s U23 squad but, no longer eligible for the U18s, he should step up and become increasingly involved with the second-string next season.

Gedion Zelalem

Zimbio

Position: Central-midfield. Age: 20

A cruciate ligament injury means that Zelalem will miss much of next season but the talented midfielder will be hoping that the setback doesn’t spell the end of his Arsenal career, with one year remaining on his contract.

Josh Dasilva

Dan Mullan

Position: Central-midfield. Age: 18

The versatile youngster, who has played in attack, midfield and defence over the past few years, should be an important figure for the U23s and also has a chance of making his first-team debut for Arsenal in one of the cup competitions.

Vlad Dragomir

Zimbio

Postion: Attacking-midfield. Age: 18

Dragomir has shown his ability in patches in his two years at Arsenal and will hope to excel when afforded more opportunities with the U23s next season.

Aaron Eyoma

Zimbio

Positon: Right-wing. Age: 19

Having been used sparingly in the Arsenal youth teams, Eyoma enjoyed his loan spell with Volendam’s second string in Holland.

He appears to have no future at Arsenal, however, with a permanent departure a possibility.

Yassin Fortune

Position: Left-wing. Age: 18

Injuries have disrupted Fortune’s progress during his Arsenal career so far but he showcased what he was capable of in the closing stages of last season.

Next term he will be looking to gain as much playing time as possible for the U23s.

Charlie Gilmour

Position: Central-midfield. Age: 18

Another prospect whose development has been halted by injuries, Gilmour will also be stepping up to the U23s.

Alex Crean

Position: Goalkeeper. Age: 17

The goalkeeper is still eligible to play for the U18s and is likely to share the gloves at that level with Joao Virginia.

Crean will also hope to make the bench for the U23s at some stage.

Kaylen Hinds

Position: Attacking-midfield. Age: 19

Hinds gained valuable experience on loan at Stevenage in League Two and, with his first-team chances at Arsenal likely to be limited, another temporary switch should be in the offing.

Ryan Huddart

Zimbio

Position: Goalkeeper. Age: 20

Huddart is a talented goalkeeper but his loan spell at non-league Eastleigh didn’t really work out and he remains behind Matt Macey in the pecking order.

Another loan could follow this season, perhaps as a precursor to a permanent move.

Deyan Iliev

Zimbio

Position: Goalkeeper. Age: 22

The Macedonian goalkeeper hasn’t played for Arsenal for over two years because of a serious knee injury.

Entering the final year of his contract, his aim will simply be to try and return to full fitness.

Chiori Johnson

Zimbio

Position: Right-back. Age: 19

The youngster is now approaching the stage in his development where he needs a loan spell, although he could stay and play for the U23s for the first half of the season.

Glen Kamara

Postion: Defensive-midfield. Age: 21

Kamara is surplus to requirements at Arsenal but has a year left on his contract. If a buyer can’t be found then the Finnish youngster is set to be loaned out for the rest of his deal.

Hugo Keto

Zimbio

Position: Goalkeeper. Age: 19

Keto will be aiming to establish himself as Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper at U23 level next season and he could well achieve that objective if Huddart goes on loan and Matt Macey steps up to the first-team.

Matt Macey

Position: Goalkeeper. Age: 22

A goalkeeper who is highly rated by Arsene Wenger, there is a possibility that Macey could become third choice for the first-team depending on what happens with others.

If such a scenario does occur then he will have to take up a place on the senior list in the club’s Premier League and Europa League squads.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles

Zimbio

Position: Central-midfield. Age: 19

Fresh from helping England U20s to World Cup glory, Maitland-Niles has been promised further first-team opportunities at Arsenal next season.

The Hale End graduate should receive plenty of playing time in the cup competitions and will also be looking to feature in the Premier League.

Donyell Malen

Position: Striker. Age: 18

Malen was superb in the second half of last season, catching the eye at U23 and U18 levels.

The Dutchman should be a regular for the U23s and it wouldn’t be surprising if he earned a call-up to the senior squad for some cup games.

Stephy Mavididi

Zimbio

Position: Striker. Age: 19

After an encouraging start to his loan at Charlton Athletic, Mavididi suffered a hamstring injury that brought his campaign to an abrupt end.

Should he return on schedule, Mavididi should play a part in pre-season before going out on loan again.

Marcus McGuane

Zimbio

Position: Central-midfield. Age: 18

A player who has developed well rather under the radar, McGuane will be an important part of the U23 side next season and should also train with the first-team on some occasions.

Tafari Moore

Zimbio

Position: Right-back. Age: 19

Moore gained experience on loan with Utrecht last season, mainly playing for the club’s youth team.

The likelihood is that he will be loaned again.

Savvas Mourgos

Position: Attacking-midfield. Age: 19

Mourgos endured a frustrating season as he barely featured for Arsenal at youth level and he is likely to gain his first experience of senior football out on loan next season.

Jordi Osei-Tutu

Position: Right-back. Age: 18

Osei-Tutu has been a regular for the U18s over the last couple of seasons but is no longer eligible for that age group.

The former Reading player should step up to represent Arsenal at U23 level next term.

Julio Pleguezuelo

Position: Centre-back. Age: 20

Pleguezuelo wasn’t a major part of the Mallorca team for much of the season but he ended the campaign by performing brightly.

Next season he could go on loan again but there is a chance that he could be kept as cover for the first-team in cup competitions.

Ben Sheaf

Zimbio

Position: Centre-back. Age: 19

A player with a bright future, Sheaf should experience first-team football in some capacity next season, whether at Arsenal or out on loan.

The likely scenario seems that he will remain with the Gunners in January before then heading out on temporary transfer.

Jon Toral

Position: Central-midfield. Age: 22

After four loan spells away from the club, surely now is the time for a concrete decision to be made on Toral’s Arsenal future.

The Spaniard is undoubtedly a fine prospect but it is questionable whether he will get sufficient chances at Arsenal and a permanent departure may be best for all concerned.

Chris Willock

Zimbio

Position: Left-wing. Age: 19

With less than two weeks remaining on his contract, it is still unclear whether Willock will still be at Arsenal next season.

If he does stay then he will most probably be involved with the first-team in cup competitions until January before being loaned out.

Reiss Nelson

Zimbio

Position: Attacking midfield. Age: 17

Still eligible for the U18s, Nelson should instead make his first-team debut next season, with Wenger having said recently that he will be involved with the senior squad.

When not with the first-team, the starlet should continue to feature for the U23s.

Eddie Nketiah

Zimbio

Position: Striker. Age: 18

The prolific striker should be a regular for the U23s but will also be aiming to be on the fringes of the senior set-up, with a first-team debut certainly a possibility.

Joao Virginia

Position: Goalkeeper. Age: 17

The Portuguese youngster made some good saves for the U18s last season. He will continue to play at that level and will also be aiming to be involved more frequently with the U23s.

Cohen Bramall

Position: Left-back. Age: 21

A make or break season for the former Hednesford Town player.

After ending last campaign strongly, Bramall will be aiming to prove that he can make the cut at Arsenal and, as well as playing for the U23s, will hope to feature for the first-team.

The situation is complicated a little, however, by the fact that he would have to take up a place on the already crowded senior list in the club’s Europa League squad if he is to be eligible for that competition.

Kelechi Nwakali

Position: Attacking-midfielder. Age: 19

After excelling on loan in the Dutch second tier with Maastricht last season, another spell elsewhere seems likely for the talented Nigeria youth international.

Firstly, though, he could spend pre-season with Arsenal.

Dan Crowley

Zimbio

Position: Attacking-midfielder. Age: 19

The midfielder, once seen as one of Arsenal’s standout prospects, has just one year remaining on his deal.

Crowley impressed while with Go Ahead Eagles in the second half of last season and there have already been suggestions of another loan elsewhere.

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4 comments

Doesn’t look good on the Chris Willock front as we approach the end of the month. Wenger promoting Nelson said a lot to me about Willock.
Cohen Bramall seems a strange one, at his age he has to be playing first team football somewhere this season.
Jon Toral, Chuba Akpom and Glen Kamara have surely come to the end of their Arsenal careers?

From what I have seen of them, Ismael Bennacer and Krystian Bielik don’t look far off from fighting for a senior call up. This season will, I think, be massive.

Donyell Malen remains a player I am excited by. Hopefully he can really step up in the U23s this season.

Would be interesting to see the full list of players eligible to be in the “B list” for Europa, as that will surely dictate who goes on loan in the first half of the season and who has a chance of senior call ups. I believe you have to be at the club for 2 years uninterrupted and born on or after 1st January 1996?